I have greater faith than I’ve ever had in my life.  If sickness tries to come on me, I no longer have to wonder whether or not God wants to or is able to heal me.  And I don’t let symptoms run their course for a few weeks before finally buckling down and receiving healing.  I believe and know it’s God’s will to heal me.  And if something contrary rises up, I’m quick to bat it away.  But this wasn’t always the case.

My increase in faith was preceded by a decision not to listen to just any ol’ minister or pastor or teacher that claimed to be teaching God’s Word.  I used to listen to sermons constantly.  Who were these people I listened to?  I didn’t know.  All I cared about was that what they taught sounded good and sounded right.  If someone said it was God’s will to heal, I would latch onto it and believe it.  But if someone I really respected shared a testimony that said God sometimes “chose” not to heal, my faith was destroyed.  And then when sickness would come my way, I wouldn’t have the faith to believe God to heal me.

There was a well-known teacher that I used to listen to constantly on TV.  Around that time, I  became interested in learning about healing.  Jesus healed in the Bible and I was sure He still wanted to.  One day, I heard my favorite teacher tell a story about a Pastor she knew whose son had died of an illness.  “That man prayed and prayed.  He fasted.  He served God.  He believed God.  And his son died.  Sometimes we just don’t know why God does things the way that He does.  Sometimes He heals and sometimes He doesn’t.” For over two years, I accepted that as truth.  After all, if this Bible teacher spent so much time in God’s Word, she had to be right.  Right?  Wrong!  And it took me a few years to even venture out and believe what God’s Word actually said about healing.

A few nights ago, I listened to bits of a testimony about a woman who had what doctors classified as terminal cancer and was given 4 to 6 weeks to live.  My heart leapt initially, thinking that she was about to share about the awesome, limitless, healing power of God.  Instead, I heard a testimony of how to trudge through.  I was sorely disappointed.  I wanted to cry.  Even six months ago, I would have applauded this kind of testimony, but now I can’t.  I know the truth and I believe it.  And because I believe it, I can’t applaud a testimony about a woman having “strength” to succumb to cancer, leaving behind a wonderful husband and two little children.  First of all, it’s not God’s will for anyone to die of any illness.  And second, whoever listens to that testimony and accepts it as truth is not going to have faith for healing.  I know that because I’ve been there.

The church needs to get back to God’s Word!  It’s imperative that you stop listening to everything you hear and accepting it as truth.  Believe God’s Word. If anything doesn’t line up with His Word, reject it.  That doesn’t mean we reject the person — not for single second!  But we do need to reject ideas and theories that are contrary to God’s Word.  Learning to accept and cope with and live with satan’s attacks (sickness, poverty, depression, etc.) is not Biblical, nor will it reap any benefits.  Learning to cope with satan and be passive towards his attacks will destroy your life.   It will bring poverty, disease, sickness, confusion, depression, worry, fear, and anything else he can get you to accept — even death.  And yet satan is powerless — absolutely powerless — if you use your authority against him instead of handing it over for him to use against you.  So use it.  Choose life that you and your descendents may live.

However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? -Luke 18:8

Tags: choose life, double-standards, Faith, freedom, God's Word, terminal cancer, testimonies, testimonies of healing, truth

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